Football Federation Australia aims to more than double its $40 million a year TV revenues when the next broadcast deal is struck, lifting rights fees perhaps as high as $100 million a year.

FFA chief David Gallop, who celebrates a year in the position on Tuesday, believes that the popularity of the code, its growing television audiences, sponsorship and marketing appeal make a target of that size feasible. However, he does not see further expansion of the 10-team A-League in the medium term, nor does he believe that the introduction of promotion and relegation is something that will occur any time soon.

David Gallop: "A doubling would be the least we would expect." Photo: Getty Images

Gallop believes the interests of the game are best served through universal control by the governing body, so he does not see the establishment of an independent commission for the competition, with the clubs taking more control of their destiny, as likely, or desirable.

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Broadcast rights will remain the game's biggest cash cow, and Gallop said the focus had to be on extracting maximum value for the product based largely on the appeal of the Socceroos and the domestic competition.

"The A-League is the financial backbone of the business in terms of the new television deal, and the goal is of making sure that the next TV deal is a substantial increase in rights fees from the current one," Gallop said. "It's difficult to pin down what the value will be, but we need to be aiming high, and I think it's realistic to aim for a very hefty increase. It's $40 million a year at the moment . . . a doubling would be the least we would expect."

Fox Sports, the inaugural partner when the A-League was established in 2005-06, has helped drive growth but Gallop knows that breaking beyond the narrow confines of a pay-television operator is essential if the sport is to harness not just its popularity but develop its commercial potential. SBS has provided it with its first exposure to the free-to-air market but its footprint and audience are much smaller than the likes of channels Seven, Nine and 10, which will be among the targets in the next round of negotiations.

"Getting on to free-to-air was a breakthrough moment for the sport, and certainly complements the investment that the pay-TV operator has made. We would certainly envisage that we get ourselves into a position where we have a number of suitors next time, including the commercial networks.

"The positive experience that Channel 7 had with the Manchester United [against the A-League All Stars] and Liverpool [versus Melbourne Victory] games has certainly been a stepping stone in that goal."

Gallop knows that traditional broadcast media remain the best revenue option. "Digital growth has obviously been an important part of the sport's progress. But ultimately both pay television and free-to-air is the goose that lays the golden egg for sport still, and football needs to be focused on that."

14 comments so far

This should not be seeen as a windfaa but an investment to continue to build soccer for decades to come. One has only to look at past experience and the North American Soccer League (1968–84) to seee that "irrational' exuberance" could scre this al up. What is needed is a 10 year plan to get there and the money needs to be spent on this and bringing up youth. If we don't get to the next world cup or have too many teams enthusiasm could easily disappear.

Commenter

Niall_F

Date and time

November 12, 2013, 9:00AM

7, 9 and 10 are all committed to rival sports. 7 in particular has a bad history with the code and many of us won't forgive nor forget. SBS is fine, they already have sufficient brand recognition for existing and newcoming fans of the game.

Commenter

pauly

Date and time

November 12, 2013, 9:19AM

Yes Pauly how can anyone forget what 7 did to the NSL. The very strong rumour is that the intention from day one was to bury it as their friend the AFL wanted football out of the way. No reason why it cannot stay on SBS it's just that they will have to advertise more across all media platforms. But at the end of the day, and I don't have pay TV, without FOX there would not be an A-League. David Gallop knows exactly how it all works and we are really lucky to have him. The fact that he does not settle for 3rd or 4th place is why he is brilliant for the game. We have NRL covered, Union does not even have a comp and one day the AFL.

Commenter

Roary

Date and time

November 12, 2013, 4:08PM

More than a rumour, it was confirmed in a court case relating to C7

Commenter

Pauly

Date and time

November 12, 2013, 5:54PM

More than a rumour, it was confirmed in a court case relating to C7

Commenter

Pauly

Date and time

November 12, 2013, 5:54PM

Great news for the A-Leaugue which adds to the positive improvements of recent years, However, I think the expansion of the A- Leaugue sooner rather than later is essential if the current level of interest from the growing fan base is to be sustained. The competition is already becoming somewhate repetitive from the spectators point of view, with teams palying eachother 3 times and if this does not change within the next couple of seasons I believe there's a real risk that we may lose momentum. Furthermore, bringing in fresh comeptition from areas such as Canberra or Wollongong, which already have an existing football following, will help not only sustain interest in the A-league but aslo attract new support from areas that don't quite relate to the existing competition.

Commenter

Wanderino

Location

Sydney

Date and time

November 12, 2013, 10:55AM

Its great that David is coming out publicly and stating football's goals, and setting out a strategic direction of where Australia's No #1 sport wants to go . As a long-term football supporter, who is viewing David's and Frank Lowy's developmental efforts of Aussie football through the 'prism' of having seen how the EPL has become a financial powerhouse ,not just in the UK, but around the world, I fully agree with the comments. And may the marketing and cash-generating force be with you.Its an oft spoken truism, that when money problems hit a marriage, love quickly goes out the back door.Thus ecstatic happiness will be brought to the A-lg and its football clubs when the moolla . every sporting club's stuff of life, starts to roll in bountifully, and is distributed to the A-lg clubs, a la 'The EPL' model.No club in the EPL is agitating for anything, because they are happily rolling in 'the folding stuff' , courtesy of the incredibly well-run EPL, and its cash generating capability.No doubt the EPL model is the one that is being held up as the one to follow in the A-lg's case.EPL is in 2013 -2914 season is distributing a record-breaking whopping 90 mill. quid to each EPL club - the greatest amount in UK football history, and dwarfs anything that the 'lesser codes' such as Victorian rules, will ever even dream about., let alone attain.But, David and Frank ? Can we have some more ? Such as a Wollongong FC and a Freemantle FC as a present to Aussie football, say , in 2016.The marvellously fantastic WSW FC template is there to give guidance on what can be achieved.

Commenter

Fair_Aussie_go_for_the _ONLY_One_TRUE_Football

Date and time

November 12, 2013, 11:00AM

I hope so too Fair_Aussie but be careful what you wish for. Because of the massive global appeal of the EPL the national team has suffered greatly. The clubs run the EPL with the FA only able to make changes after a vote. There are various stats on the net about the dwindling representation of English players who start every round. Remember the first time when Chelsea fielded a full foreign starting IX? Now its common practice.

I totally agree with with your suggestions for expansion but it must be done carefully with the FFA retaining control.

Commenter

D

Location

Penriff

Date and time

November 12, 2013, 1:45PM

@DWhat do you mean the national team has suffered? They haven't done anything for 50 years...well before the start of the EPL!